3rd Grade Students Visit the Library for Robo-Sauce

Authors Adam Rubin & Daniel Salmieri pose as robots with 3rd grade students at the Washington Heights Library.

Recently, students from 3rd grade classes visited the Washington Heights Branch Library to meet the authors of a new book!  Robo-Sauce is a new book written by Adam Rubin and illustrated by Daniel Salmieri!  During this KidsLIVE! program, students learned about the process used to write the book and got to meet the authors.  "This book talk reinforced what we're doing in the classroom", said Ms. K. Cabral (3rd grade Bilingual Teacher).  "The authors explained the writing process and they were very engaging...the students had a lot of fun".

Special thanks to Amy Chang (Senior Librarian of the NYPL Washington Heights Branch) for the invitation and Penguin Books for providing our scholars with this great opportunity.  After the event, teachers given ten (10) books to take to their classroom!  To see pages of this book, click here!

PS4 and FedEx Walk To Safety City

Once again, students from 3rd grade participated in National Walk To School Day!  This year, three classes participated in this annual event where volunteers from FedEx walk to Safety City with our students.  Safety City is a traffic safety program for school children that uses a simulated New York City street to teach children about traffic safety through hands-on experience.

Special thanks to Renso at Safety City for making sure PS4 students know how to be safe as they cross the street.  Take a look at photos and a video from the exciting event and click here to learn more about Safety City.

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Capoeira Program - 2014 (VIDEO)

Students in 3rd and 4th grade have been practicing the Afro-Brazilian art from of Capoeira!  Capoeira blends dance, martial arts and acrobatics into one beautiful art like no other.  This martial art was created by Africans brought to Brazil from many parts of Africa as a means of self-protection and as a way to fight for their own freedom.  During its early years, Capoeira was disguised as a dance in order to be practiced openly.  Today, Capoeira is widely known and practiced in more than 100 nations around the world.

Congratulations to the twenty boys and girls that participated in this year's Capoeira program!  Special thanks to Master Jelon, Chuvisco, Sabia, and all the instructors from NY Capoeira Luanda that visited PS4.  Click here to see videos of those talented instructors!  Very special thanks to Patty Bryan, Director of Educational Programs at Dance Brazil, for continuing to support PS4.  Take a look at the slide show below and watch a video of the final performance!


Capoeira Program 2014 - Part 1 from PS4M on Vimeo.

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Chinese Dance Residency

Students in Ms. Santana's class (321) and Ms. Marino & Ms. Barnosky's class (302) were taught a form of Chinese dance that broadened their dance literacy and allowed them to develop an understanding of the historical and cultural connection in dance.  For five weeks, students learned Chinese folk dance languages, techniques and incorporated martial arts. Throughout the residency, taught by Ling Tang from the NY Chinese Cultural Center, students improved their self-control, refined their gross motor and listening skills.  "My students really loved this program", said Ms. Santana.  "The are so focused on each movement and learned a lot about traditional Chinese culture".

Special thanks to Makalina Gallagher, LOTUS Music & Dance Arts in Education Coordinator, and Janie Wong, Operations Manager at the New York Chinese Cultural Center, for bringing this great program to the students of PS4!  See the photo collage below to see highlights of each class and videos from the final performance!

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